ON KEEPING OFF THE EYE

As we journey along life’s trying course in this season of our earthly sojourn, I am sure beyond every reasonable doubt, that we are gathering much experience and learning from them. Such informs a vital part of our wisdom.

However, it serves a good reminder amidst these real experiences that we are being exposed to different kind of lessons which are necessary for our time-bound and lifetime purposes. We learn of things that pertain to our respective career fields and are exposed to conditions that teach us sound wisdom for life. Both are necessary and important, hence, we must not look over any.

Lessons from our respective fields give us skill and competence; life’s lessons adorn us with good character. The good thing about laying hold of both is that it brings about confidence. “A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed” (Eccl. 8:1). But a lack of either might cut us short of divine purpose and leave us with feelings of inferiority and depression in the long run.

It is evident that one of the issues we all come up against in our respective places of work is the issue of hypocrisy which leads to eye service. It is a device of the devil with which he tries to gain an advantage over people, especially Christian servants. Such is not only dangerous to our work, but it also corrupts our character and hinders our spiritual advancement.

Also, it is experientially observed that, among other things, the pride of a man, the fear of people and the love of their praise turn him into a hypocrite and result in his eye service. Nonetheless, in working out our salvation with fear and trembling, we must bear in mind that honesty, not hypocrisy, is an attribute of the mind of Christ. We may hereby gain wisdom from Scripture so as to overcome this vice and not to be overcome by it.

Now, it was said of the blessed Christ:

 “And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them”.
(Luke 20:19)

A good note here is that the fear of men sometimes keeps people from doing evil and committing sin, but such is hypocritical because their righteousness is only hinged on the presence of people. Once people are out of the scene, their sinfulness prevails. This was the case of Jesus’ troublers in His days. Proverbs 29:25 has these words: “The fear of man bringeth a snare”. Such bait of worldly fear imprisons the mind and launches one into deeper depths of sin and destruction.

It is the fear of God that utterly keeps one away from sin. “By the fear of the LORD [men] depart from evil” (Prov. 16:6). David describes the lasting restraint from sin that the fear of God works in a man thus: “The fear of the LORD [is] clean, enduring for ever” (Ps. 19:9).

The above text from the Psalms also indicates that a man cannot fear God with ulterior motives, for He is the ultimate fear and none but Him can bring ultimate judgment to bear upon any creature under heaven. Little wonder Jesus’ charge to us on the matter of whom to fear is “And I say unto you my friends, “Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him”” (Luke 12:4-5). In fact, it might be well said that one of the purpose of Jesus’ coming was to deliver and turn us from the fear of vanity and to point us to the right fear – godly fear which is the fear of God. See Luke 1:74; Heb. 2:15; John 8:32; Luke 12:4-5.

Brethren, as we consider these things, we should remember that the fear of God is the beginning of life’s true wisdom (Job 28:28; Prov. 1:7, 9:10). In fact, both love and fear of the world are vanities, but love and fear for God is life’s ultimate for principle and prudence.

John Bevere was right when he remarked, “The fear of man is the fear of being rejected by man, without considering God’s rejection”. If we fear God, He remains our Refuge and Strength; but picture what folly we make of ourselves when we despise our Hiding Place and offend our Fortress. It is like pulling off the roof of your house in the time of intense rain and sunshine. We break the edge and give room to the enemy to come in and ravage us as prey.

The best we can always afford and hence should always choose is to trust God, fear Him and honour His commands. For “whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe” (Prov. 29:25). If we “be in the fear of the LORD all the daylong”, we shall win God to our side always and strengthen our character with virtues of faith, responsibility, faithfulness and integrity. But if we do otherwise, we only incur the help of danger in the day of danger. What a matter of self-destruction!

Nevertheless, not only do we find safety in God, but we can be sure to secure success and significance through reverence of Him in our heart always, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him” (2Chron. 16:9). Joseph and Daniel were typical examples of such who experienced God’s blessings on their faithfulness.

Let these words fortify our hearts with caution against men and fuel our faith in God our Father who will always deliver us and reward us by His mercy. In the end, we also shall boldly say as apostle Paul did,

“But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver [us]; Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift [bestowed] upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf. For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.”
(2Cor. 1:9-12)

Beloved, I am yet praying for you and I believe we all should continue in the same for one another, knowing that we are all called to the same purpose, with the same hope, by the same Lord to inherit a blessing (See Eph. 4:1-6; 1Pet 3:9). And He shall yet be with us all through the journey (Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5).

Is anyone weak and fainting in any regard? Let him be meek enough to seek and receive help from others. We are members one of another and one man’s ache affects the entire body of people. Hence, we should bear each other’s burdens, labouring by all means – physical and spiritual – to see one another standing well and living in peace and prosperity.

Remember, “Life is about you, but not all about you; therefore you have to live, but not for yourself, neither by yourself”. (See Rom. 14:7-8).

Finally brethren, I’ve got an avalanche of testimonies to share and I trust that you also have the same, or may be even more. It’s one reason I hope to see you at our forth coming meeting so that we could be fulfilled in each other’s joy.

Till then, keep the fire flaming and the flag waving upon the most gorgeous horizons. You are … priceless!

Best regards,

With brotherly affection,

Bright UKWENGA.